Anders Åslund: Want to hit Putin where it hurts? Target his friends

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"Meanwhile, sanctions on trade and ordinary private companies should be avoided, as they hit ordinary Russians.

...Putin and Russian financial markets tell us what sanctions work the best, namely, targeted sanctions on Putin’s friends and top officials, as well as sanctions against key state financial institutions. Conversely, sanctions on trade and ordinary private companies should be avoided, as they hit ordinary Russians.

The United States should make clear that it is sanctioning bad Kremlin behavior, not Russia. It needs to restore its coordination of sanctions with its allies by reviving the office for sanctions at the State Department.

Finally, the United States should prohibit anonymous companies that can hide Kremlin fortunes in the United States and channel them to political ends, writes Anders Åslund.

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Want to hit Putin where it hurts? Target his friends | The Hill

Since Russia’s occupation and annexation of Crimea in March 2014, Washington has imposed many sanctions on Russia. But are these the right sanctions and are they effective?

↱thehill.com